Bowling pin-setting mechanism



July 31, 1956 H, M, DOWD ET Al. 2,757,000

BOWLING PIN-SETTING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 13, 1952 4 sheets-sneer 1 Fg-m;

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BOWLING PIN-SETTING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 15, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Il N1 T '1 f I' RV f t I I \\J :inventors:

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BOWLING PIN-SETTING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 13, 1952 4 sheets-sheet sSnventors:

July 3l, 1956 Filed Feb. 15, 1952 H. M. DowD ETAL BOWLING PIN-SETTINGMECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheen 4 T 1 Q E a Snventors:

-L MM( (vw/w Bg f A. Wma-: AMJ; mZ, @Mal/tw V omega' 2,757,000 PatentedJuly 31, 1956 ice BOWLING PIN -SETIllNG MECHANISM Howard M. Dowd, SouthActon, and Royal L. Barrows, Salem, Mass., assignors to Bowl-MorCompany, Inc., Everett, Mass., a corporation of Delaware ApplicationFebruary 13, 1952, Serial No. 271,392 4 Claims. (Cl. 273-43) Thisinvention relates to a bowling pin setting machine, and has for itsobject to provide a pin-setting mechanism which lowers the set of pinsto the alley while retaining them in the pin-setting tubes, and thenreleases them from a short distance above the alley. In this manner thewear and tear and noise of dropping the pins through the tubes from aheight of three or four feet above the alley are eliminated, and manyother advantages are achieved.

This invention is an improvement upon our basic mechanism disclosed inour application Serial No. 87,646, filed April 15, 1949, now abandoned,Bowling Pin Setting Machine, and is adapted for use in such a machine.But it will be understood that it is capable of use in other bowling pinsetting machines as well, and is not lirnited to use in our own machine.In applicants type of bowling pin setting machine as shown in theirapplication Serial No. 87,646, it will be understood that after one,two, or three, balls have been bowled, as the case may be, and a new setup of pins is desired, the sweeper operates to sweep all pins or ballsonto a rotating turntable or distributor in the pit at the end of thealley. There the pins are distributed to the pin elevator, and the ballsare returned by the ball elevator. The pins are delivered to ahorizontal pin reservoir or collector, and thence down inclined chutesor conduits to the discharge station, in front of the verticalpositioning tubes. The positioning tubes are then lowered to positionthe pins in proper position on the alley. ln applicants machine thusdescribed, the pins are dropped through the positioning tubes about fourfeet from the discharge station to the oor of the alley. As the pinsweigh about 2 lbs. each and are presently dropped from a height of fourfeet, the noise and clatter, as well as the wear and tear on the pinsand the alley are considerable.

In our present improvement we have sought to eliminate this noise andwear, and have successfully done so by holding the pins in the tubes andlowering them in unison to a position just above the lioor of the alley,from which they are released in unison to their proper positions on thealley. Our mechanism further provides more accurate positioning of thepins on the alley, and eliminates the silencer previously provided onthe bottorn of the tube, an expensive item and one which frequently gotout of order. In addition, our device makes substantial savings inmaterials and parts for the machine, by requiring only three cables tolower and lift the device, instead of ten, by permitting the use ofshorter positioning tubes, one-third as long as those previouslyrequired.

Brieliy, our device comprises a movable horizontal platform on which thevertical pin positioning tubes are mounted. Each tube at its bottom sidecarries a slot in which a finger is movable horizontally which restrictsthe diameter of the tube at the bottom, and thus holds the pin in thetube. The platform is vertically movable and when lowered carriesthetubes downwardly with the pins therein to a position about an inch abovethe iioor of the alley. The supporting lingers are then withdrawnhorizontally from the tubes,

allowing the pins to drop out in their proper position on the alley. Theplatform then is lifted and when in its upward position, the series ofrestricting ngers are again operated from a cam to move into pinintercepting position in the positioning tubes. The platform is guidedfor vertical movement on three guide rods, and as the positioning tubesare mounted on the platform at their bottom ends, the tubes are thusaccurately aligned for accurate positioning of the pins upon the alley.

Before explaining in detail the present invention it is to be understoodthat the invention is not limited in its application to the details ofconstruction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and ofbeing practiced or carried out in various ways. Also it is to beunderstood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is forthe purpose of description and not of limitation.

Additional advantages and objects of our device will be apparent fromthe following specilication and accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view partly in diagram, of a bowling pinsetting machine equipped with the pin setting mechanism embodying ourinvention;

Fig. 2 is a plan View of a bowling pin setting machine equipped with ourdevice.

Fig. 2a is an enlarged plan view of a portion of Fig. 2 showing a pin indischarge position;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section of our pin setting mechanism showing theplatform and tubes in lowered position;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on line 4-4 of Fig. 3, showing a planview of the platform supporting the pin positioning device, the pinsbeing omitted from this view;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the platform at its lowermostposition with the pins deposited on the alley; and

Fig. 6 shows a part of the wiring diagram.

ln the drawings a bowling pin setting machine is shown similar to thatdisclosed in our application Serial No. 87,646, iiled April 15, 1949,for purposes of illustrating the type of machine with which our pinsetting mechanism is adapted to be used. As shown in Fig. l S representsa sweeper mechanism in general, and A represents the floor of thebowling alley, and A1 represents the pin plate section of the alley onwhich the bowling pins P are positioned. It will be understood that thesweeper mechanism S operates to sweep any standing or fallen pins orballs remaining on the alley or in the gutters G, onto the rotatingturntable or distributor D provided in the pit 11 at the end of thealley. The ball return trough is represented at BR. Turntable ordistributor D rotated by a suitable motor M1 (Fig. l) operates todistribute the pins P to a vertical pin elevator El, and the balls tothe vertical ball elevator E2 (Fig. 2), from which the balls arereturned through the ball return trough BR. The machine further includesa pin reservoir or collector R at the top of the pin elevator El.Inclined pin chutes or conduits C lead from the pin reservoir orcollector R to carry the pins to vertical positioning tubes T. The pinchutes C are preferably powered by conveyor belts lying in the bottom ofthe chutes, but it will be understood that rollers may be used ifdesired. It will be understood that the pins P are positioned on the pinplate section A1 of the alley A, as the tubes T are lowered to aposition spaced slightly above the alley A, by mechanism to be describedin detail below. The respective operating parts of our pin settingmachine are preferably powered by individual motors, of which motor M2drives the pin elevator E1, motor M3 (Fig. 2) drives the ball elevatorE2 (Fig. 2),

motor M4 operates the pin reservoir R to direct the pins into the chutesC, motor M5 lowers and raises the positioning platform X carrying thepositioning tubes T, and motor M6 operates the sweeper mechanism S. Aseparate motor M7 is preferably provided for operating the conveyorbelts in pin chutes C (Fig. l).

Our pin setting mechanism will now be described in detail. lt includes aset of ten pin setting tubes T which are mounted at their bases onvertically movable horizontal platform X. Holes of course are providedin platform X under the tubes T to permit the pins to pass through. Thetubes T are about the height of a bowling pin P (Figs. 3 and 5) andcomprise a cylindrical metal tube open at its top front side to receivethe pin l from its inclined discharge position on inclined plates 18, atthe foot of each inclined conduit C, as shown in Figs. l and 3. Funnels19 are provided on the sides of plates 1% to guide the pins into thetubes T. The pins are normally retained and held by the tubes in theirinclined position as shown in l, until the tubes T are lowered withplatform X but it will be understood that the pins can be dropped intothe tubes T immediately. The angle of inclination of the pin against thetube T is such that ordinarily the pin will not drop into the tube, butwill be held in inclined position by the inside of the tube, until theplatform carrying the tubes is lowered. But it will be understood thatin normal operation some or all of the pins may drop immediately intothe tubes T, depending upon such varying factors as the age andcondition of the machine and of the pins, and velocity with which a pintravels down the chutes C and into the funnels 19, and the precise pointat which the tubes T stop in their upward movement with platform X. Thelatter point of stoppage of the tubes T in their upward movement againis dependent upon many factors affecting the mechanical efficiency inthe platform raising and lowering mechanism. With use and wear the partsof the machine in contact with the` pins acquire a polish from friction,and even a coating of wax or oil from the alley, which is picked up bythe pins and deposited on parts and surfaces of the machine in contactwith the pins. Vertically movable platform X comprises a horizontalboard substantially triangular in shape on which the tubes T are mountedat their bases as previously stated, and which is guided for verticalmovement on guide rods 20, preferably three in number and provided atthe three corners of platform X (Fig. 4). Platform X is raised andlowered by means of cables 22 (Figs. l, 3 and 5), attached at theirbottom ends to the platform X which pass over pulleys 21 and are fixedat their upper ends to transverse rotating roller or drum 24 (Fig. 2).Roller or drum 24 mounted on shaft 23 in bearings 25 is operated torotate in opposite directions, to wind and unwind the cables 22 thereonand thus raise and lower platform X and the pin positioning tubes Tmounted thereon through motor M5. 2) carries a pulley 26 on which a beltis mounted connecting with pulley 27 mounted on a longitudinal shaft 28.Shaft Z8 also carries the worm 29, meshing with the worm gear 30 oncross-shaft 3i at the outer end of which is mounted the crank arm 32. Atthe other end of crossshaft 31 is a cam 33 which operates to open aswitch e to shut off the motor M5 at the end of its cycle. The crank arm32 at its free end carries the chain 35, the other end of which wrapsaround and is fastened to a sprocket or wheel 36 on a jack shaft 37.Jack shaft 37 carries a sprocket 38 around which passes an endless chain39, which also passes around a sprocket di) on the end of the shaft 23carrying the drum or roller 24. In operation, a switch 41 (Fig. l) isclosed by the sweeper mechanism as it reaches the end of its cycle andmotor N5 then operates, through the intervening mechanism justdescribed, to rotate drum 2li so as to unwind the cables 22 woundthereon and thus lower platform X -carrying pin setting tubes T thereon.When platform X reaches the bottom of its cycle, slightly above thealley A, the pins P The motor M5 (Figs. l and are released and placed inproper position on the alley. Continued operation of motor M5 movescrank arm 32 until it comes in line with the chain 35, and then afterpassing the dead center it begins to pull on chain 3a", thus reversingthe direction of rotation of roller or drum 2.4 and causing the cables22 to wind up thereon. This raises 4platform X and pin setting tubes Tcarried thereon to their upper position in the cycle, ready to receiveanother set of pins P from the discharge station on inclined plates i8.

As previously stated pin setting tubes T are mounted at their base onplatform X. A vertical slot Si@ (Figs. 3 and 4) is provided in the frontside of tubes T at their bottom ends, which extends upwardly aboutone-third of the height of tubes T. A horizontal frame work, generallyindicated at 52, carries a series of transverse angle arms 53 which inturn are connected by longitudinal arms 54. Separate longitudinal arms54a extend directly to pin tubes T without connecting with othertransverse arms 53. The free ends of longitudinal arms S4 and 54a carryan upwardly bent nger 55 which extends into the slot 50 provided in thefront side of tubes T, and these fingers restrict the diameter of tubesT at the bottom thereof and thus constitute supports for the pins P inthe tubes T (Fig. 3), whereby the pins are held in the tubes. The framework 52 is guided for longitudinal movement on platform X by guides 56(Fig. 4), and a spring 57 serves to draw the frame 52 rearwardly at alltimes and hence to open the bottoms of the tubes T and permit release ofthe pins therein. A latch 58 is mounted at one end to the top surface ofplatform X and carries a downwardly extending hook 59 on its free end(Figs. 3 and 4) which normally extends over the middle crossarm 53 andserves to hold the frame 52 in its tube restricting and hence pinholding position against the pull of spring 57. A vertical rod 60 ismounted for vertical movement in the top frame of the machine generallyindicated at 10, and at its lower end is connected to the latch S8.Collars 61 are mounted on the lower end of rod 60, both above and belowlatch 58, and are so positioned that as platform X is lowered andreaches the bottom of its cycle as permitted by the length of cables 22,latch 58 is pulled upwardly. This releases the frame 52 and permits itto be pulled rearwardly by the retraction of spring 57, thus openingtubes T and permitting discharge of the pins P from the tubes, and henceto their proper positions on the alley. A vertically extending camfollower 65 having a sloping cam surface 66 on its rearward side ismounted on the middle longitudinal arm 54, and as platform X is raisedby cables 22, cam follower d5 engages cam 68, mounted on the undersideof frame 10 (Fig. 3), and causes frame 52 to be pushed forwardly againstthe pull of spring 57, until latch 58 again engages middle crossarm 53.A sloping surface 7 (Fig. 3) is provided on the forward side of middlecrossarm 53 to permit hook 59 of latch 58 to slide upwardly and overcrossarm 53. It will be understood that rod 6i) rises as platform X israised, along with guides 2t), as shown in Fig. l. Tubes T are,therefore, restricted at their bottom ends by fingers 55 of longitudinalarms 54 and 54a while platform X is in its raised position, as shown inFig. 1, and hence if a pin P should slide oif its discharge station 18into its tube, it will be held therein, until platform X is lowered toits pin discharging position just above the alley. Normally, however,the pins P recline on inclined plate 1S at the discharge station withtheir ends abutting the inside of tubes T, as shown in Fig. l. A switch'70 in the circuit for the motor M4 (Fig. 6) which operates to deliverthe pins from the reservoir to the chutes C is provided on the ,framel0, in position to be operated by the cam follower 65 on its upwardmovement. Switch 70 is normally open and is closed on the upwardmovement of cam follower 65 as platform X nears the top of its upwardmovement. Switch when open prevents the delivery of pins from thereservoir R (Fig. 1), until the tubes T are in raised position at thefoot of conduits C and inclined plates 18 constituting the dischargestation of the device.

ln operation, it will be understood that as the bowler desires a new setof pins he pushes a button at the bowling end of the alley which closesthe circuit to the motors of the bowling pin setting machine, setting inoperation the sweeper S, distributor or turntable D, and pin and ballelevators E1 and E2. When sweeper S has reached the end of its cycleswitch 41 starts motor M5 and platform X is lowered to its pin settingposition just above the alley. When it reaches the bottom of its cycle,about an inch above the alley, rod 60 lifts latch 58 opening tubes T andpermitting the pins to be discharged therefrom into their properpositions on the alley. Platform X is immediately raised to its upperposition and remains there until the bowler again desires a new settingof pins. In the meantime the fallen pins are elevated by the pinelevator E1 to the pin reservoir R. As previously explained .switch 70prevents the pins in reservoir R from being delivered to the conduits Cand hence to their discharge station abutting the tubes T until thetubes T are in their raised position and ready to receive them.

It will be readily perceived that our pin setting mechanism which lowersa set of pins to a position just above the alley before discharging themovercomes the many objections and disadvantages of dropping them intoposition through the pin setting tubes from a distance of some four feetabove the alley, and constitutes a highly desirable improvement of ourbasic machine.

We claim:

1. In a bowling pinasetting machine, mechanism for positioning the pinsupon the alley comprising, a fixed horizontal top frame member, ahorizontally extending platform below said top frame member mounted forreciprocal movement in a vertical direction only, a set of open endpin-setting tubes on the upper side of said platform, said tubes havingtheir bottom ends secured to said platform, each of said tubes having avertical slot in its side wall at its bottom end, means for loweringsaid platform and tubes from an elevated pin-loading position adjacentsaid top frame member to a pin-discharging position adjacent the lloorof the alley and for raising said platform and tubes to pin-loadingposition again, a plurality of upstanding lingers, one for each tube,carried by said platform, said lingers being connected together as aunit, said fingers being slidable horizontally relative to said platformbetween a lirst pin-holding position wherein said lingers extend throughsaid slots into said tubes to engage and hold pins therein to a secondposition outside of said tubes wherein pins are free to fall out of thebottom of said tubes, releasable latch means for locking said lingers inpin-holding position, mechanical means operative only upon downwardmovement of said platform to release said latch means as said platformreaches pin-discharging position, and means for moving said lingers tosaid second position upon release of said latch means.

2. The combination of claim l, further including a cam follower on theupper side of said platform secured to said unit of fingers, and a fixedcam mounted on the underside of said top frame member, said cam being solocated as to be engaged by said cam follower as said platform is beingraised to pin-loading position and to shift said cam follower andlingers horizontally to permit said latch means to automatically locksaid lingers in pin-holding position.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said latch releasing meanscomprises a vertical rod mounted for vertical reciprocal movement insaid top frame member, the lower end of said rod being attached to saidlatch so as to be movable with said latch and platform, and meanscarried by said rod at its top end for engaging said top frame memberand terminating downward movement of said rod relative to said framemember as said platform approaches pin-discharging position, whereby toexert a pull on said rod to release said latch.

4. In a bowling pin-setting machine, mechanism for positioning the pinsupon the lioor of a bowling alley comprising, a vertically movablehorizontally extending platform, a set of vertical pin-settin g tubesextending upwardly from the top side of said platform, said-tubes havingtheir bottom ends secured to said platform, each tube having a slot inits wall at its bottom end, said slots extending above the top side ofsaid platform, means for lowering said platform and tubes in a liftedvertical path from an elevated pin-loading position in said machine to apindischarging position adjacent the ilcor of the alley and for raisingsaid platform to pin-loading position again, a framework mounted on thetop side of said platform provided with a plurality of upstandinglingers, one for each tube, said framework being slidable horizontallyrelative to said platform between a lirst pin-holding position whereinsaid fingers extend through said slots into said tubes to engage andhold pins therein to a second pinreleasing position wherein said fingersare completely removed from said tubes so that pins are free to fall outof the bottom of said tubes, releasable latch means for locking saidframework in pin-holding position, means for shifting said framework topin-releasing position upon release of said latch means, and means forreleasing said latch means as said platform reaches pin-dischargingposition.

References Cited in the lile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS809,890 Backus Jan. 9, 1906 975,445 McFarland Nov. 15, 1910 1,122,622McFarland Dec. 29, 1914 1,586,831 Murphy June 1, 1926 1,896,384 white eta1 Feb. 7, 1933 2,300,802 Parra et al Nov..3, 1942 2,445,688 Parra et alJuly 20, 1948 2,531,429 Hedenskoog Nov. 28, 1950 2,550,835 MacFarlandMay 1, 1951 2,550,919 Frye May 1, 1951 2,591,450 Luebbert Apr. 1, 19522,603,487 Scheppe July 15, 1952 2,627,408 Beranek Feb. 3, 1953 2,702,707Frye Feb. 22, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 475,026 France Jan. 16, 1915

